Welcome to Skagit County
June 19, 2015
Clean Samish Initiative 90-day project review
SKAGIT COUNTY – An intensive 90-day effort to identify and reduce sources of fecal coliform in the Samish watershed and Samish Bay has highlighted successes and ongoing challenges. Although fecal bacterial is still trending to lower levels, these levels do not meet state water quality standards.
The efforts of Clean Samish Initiative (CSI) partners during the 90-day project contributed to improved outreach, greater landowner participation, increased data collection, and new interactive data mapping for the public.
A collaborative group of residents, local and state agencies identified “hot spot” areas with high levels of bacteria in the water by following water quality data upstream to locate sources of pollution. Fecal coliform bacteria is often found in areas that have failing septic systems, gray water drainage, pet waste, or manure located near waterways. This bacteria is an indicator of pathogens that can cause illness such as ear infections, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dysentery and viral and bacterial gastroenteritis.
CSI partners determined that the worst water quality occurred during rain events, although several areas had continuously poor water quality. Rainfall washes bacteria from yards and pastures into the streams and rivers of the Samish watershed. The poor water quality resulted in three confirmed closures of recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting, and the Samish Bay was not eligible for the much sought after shellfish bed upgrade due to these closures.
The collaborative project identified the need for increased septic system inspections and maintenance, increased mud and manure management by livestock owners, and continued focused water quality monitoring. Also identified was the need to strengthen partnerships between residents and agencies and increase landowner access to available resources to assist in fixing problems on their property.
The Clean Samish Initiative has been striving to improve the health of the Samish watershed since 2010. Fecal contamination has dropped about 80 percent percent in the last five years, and the number of days that the shellfish beds are closed due to pollution has also dropped significantly.
“By partnering with residents to reach a common goal of clean water for all, regulatory action has been kept to a minimum,” said Karen DuBose of the Skagit County Public Works Department’s Water Resources division. “The Clean Samish Initiative remains an ongoing effort.”
For more information please contact Karen DuBose at (360) 416-1440.